All Saints Catholic Church in Syracuse held a prayer service during Pride celebrations, which celebrated LGBT people and honored all those struggling for equality. Fr. Fred Daley, the church’s pastor who ‘came out’ as gay in 2004, gathered an interfaith assembly of several dozen for the service. He spoke about why a Catholic church would host such an event:

“Our mission is to be open and welcoming to all people. I think that often religion of all types lose focus on that and can instead become instruments of isolation and segregation. We are trying to be sure to do our best to stop that at All Saints…

“This is about God’s love – God made all of us, and we teach that God is good. This event tonight is about inclusion and where there is inclusion there is light.”

You can read more about the prayer service at CNYCentral.com and view the video below to hear more from Fr. Daley.

An article entitled “Syracuse Gay Pride parade celebrates diversity” on Syracuse.com quotes Fr. Fred Daley, pastor of All Saints Parish in this upstate New York city. Fr. Daley, an out gay priest who recently led a focus session on gay priests at New Ways Ministry’s Seventh National Symposium, stated:

Rev. Fred Daley

“There’s so much ignorance around the issue of orientation. As church, it’s our responsibility to proclaim the truth. No one chooses their orientation. It’s set before you’re four years old. We as a parish are so enriched by the presence and involvement of the GLBT community. How blessed we are to celebrate their gifts and talents.”